12

I t's the first game of the season and instead of being ready to destroy the Vultures, I'm distracted by the thought of a certain silver haired miracle. The men are wound up and shouting across the locker room at each other and I still can't get in the moment. I need to give my pre-game pep talk, but I'm just not here mentally. I can't sense her yet, and I don't know if the reason she chose not to come is because of our last encounter. Maybe she's just not here yet, or maybe it's because I'm stuck in this rank-ass locker room with a bunch of sweaty wolves.

Coach seems to sense my turmoil. He pats me on the shoulder, making his way to the center of the locker room. "All right, LISTEN UP!" he bellows. The men immediately quiet and turn their attention to the old wolf. "I thought with it being the first game of the season you wouldn't mind letting the old man give the pep talk today," he says as the men chuckle around the room.

His speech is motivating, empowering, invigorating, and most of all, it's got the men all pissed off and ready to slaughter the Vultures. I definitely couldn't have brought out those emotions today. I need to get my head in the game.

I made sure to set everything up so that she can be part of the postgame interview even though it's supposed to be for seasoned journalists. Little do they know I have another plan up my sleeve as well. I don't want her interview to suck, which is why I need to get my head on straight so we can beat them. Not that I'm worried about my team, but with Khaos being the Vulture's team captain . . . I really just can't afford a loss today for any reason.

The electric energy of the crowd as we skate onto the ice for our warm-ups is exactly what I needed. No matter how many games we play, I never take this feeling for granted. I wonder if this is how an incubus feels all the time, feeding off people's energies. It's no wonder the few I know are part of the music industry.

The stands are filling with people of all ages, sizes, and backgrounds all coming together to watch us play. The buzz of the arena continues to climb towards crescendo as more and more people file in. Everywhere you look, there are people smiling, laughing, scowling, and hollering as the teams take to the ice.

It's not enough that it's the first game of the season, but it's against the Vultures. That means this game is going to be intense. Probably a few brawls, maybe even a little blood. A lot of that has to do with Khaos and I, but our men despise each other equally. I don't know if Benny or the twins are more excited for what they hope will be a blood bath of a game.

We're warming up when she walks in. I can't find her in the madness of the arena, but I can feel her. I know she's here, and I let the warmth of the mate bond wash over me. I haven't felt this feeling in five hundred years, and I definitely never expected to feel it again. The initial shock still hasn't worn off, but now I know it's real; this is really happening. I have another chance. I don't know what I did, or will do, to deserve this, but I will make the most of every moment. I can never thank the Goddess enough for this precious gift.

It's the season opener, so the pregame show is even more loud and obnoxious than usual. The fans, human and not alike, go feral for it. The loud music, the flashing lights, and the T-shirt cannons are all pounding along with the beat of my heart. Usually, it's all game energy but tonight is different. Yes, it's the first game of the season, but she's here and she changes everything.

As my name is called to skate onto the ice with my men, I allow myself one more chance to look around the rink to see if I can spot her in the sea of faces. I'm not able to locate her , but I can feel her excitement through the bond, and for now that will have to be enough. I do manage to make eye contact with Khaos, so while I have his attention, I flip him off. The arena erupts again as he attempts to lunge at me, but his team holds him back.

The first period was mayhem. It didn't seem as though anyone even cared about the puck as much as they did just beating the shit out of each other. I spent the whole time avoiding getting pummeled, while still trying to find my girl. If I could just see her for a moment, maybe then I could focus on the game.

We're already into the second period, and Khaos and his men seem to sense my distraction. They've gotten a lot more shots in on me than usual. I haven't scored a single goal, but thanks to Slate, they haven't either.